ENGLISH
REFERENCE

no later than

fixed phrase.
B1 Intermediate Formal General-service
Definition

fixed phrase. at or before a specific time, but definitely not after it.

fixed phrase. a temporal limit specifying a deadline; functions as a complex preposition or adverbial phrase to indicate that an action must occur by a terminal point.


SIMPLE

Please submit your homework no later than Friday.

CONTEXTUAL

The application must reach the office no later than 5:00 PM on the final day of the month.

COMPLEX

The contract stipulates that all structural repairs must be completed no later than thirty days following the initial inspection.

Usage

often used in formal instructions, deadlines, and legal requirements.

Teaching tip

contrast with 'by', which is more common in casual speech; 'no later than' adds a layer of formal emphasis to the deadline.

Pitfall

Please arrive not later than 6:00.Please arrive no later than 6:00.the fixed phrase uses the determiner 'no' rather than the adverb 'not' to modify the comparative 'later'.

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